Thoughtful, powerful, personal analysis of a computer game. Blogging this as an example of “new games journalism,” so I can have it handy the next time I teach Video Game Culture and Theory.

When someone you love dies, your view of the world takes on an air of mysticism. You find meaning in places you wouldn’t normally look. The unexpected scent of a favorite flower in your loved one’s bedroom; a strange cat that brushes against your legs when you step outside to get the mail. You connect these experiences with the person you’ve lost, convinced that they’re communicating with you from beyond the veil. It’s a natural part of the grieving process that offers some comfort while you struggle to make sense of life. As time goes on, these experiences become increasingly infrequent, and then they show up when you least expect them. Mother 3 gave me the first taste of this I’d had in half a decade, because it forced me to go back and relive not only my mom’s death, but my experiences in the days, weeks, and months surrounding it. —Blog by mikebrns – IGN.